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User's Guide Fireface 800 © RME
29
12.6 Digital Recording
Unlike analog soundcards which produce empty wave files (or noise) when no input signal is
present, digital interfaces always need a valid input signal to start recording.
Taking this into account, RME have included three unique features in the Fireface 800: a com-
prehensive I/O signal status display showing sample frequency, lock and sync status in the
Settings dialog, status LEDs for each input, and the protective Check Input function.
If a 48 kHz signal is fed to the input and the application is set to 44.1 kHz, Check Input stops the
system from recording. This prevents faulty takes, which often go unnoticed until later on in the
production. Such tracks appear to have the wrong playback rate - the audio quality as such is
not affected.
The sample frequency shown in the Settings dialog (see chapter 11.1, screenshot Settings) is
useful as a quick display of the current configuration (the board itself and all connected external
equipment). If no sample frequency is recognized, it will read ‘No Lock’.
This way, configuring any suitable audio application for digital recording is simple. After select-
ing the required input, Fireface 800 displays the current sample frequency. This parameter can
then be changed in the application’s audio attributes (or similar) dialog.
The screenshot on the right shows a typical dia-
log used for changing basic parameters such as
sample frequency and resolution in an audio
application.
Any bit resolution can be selected, providing it is
supported by both the audio hardware and the
software. Even if the input signal is 24 bit, the
application can still be set to record at 16-bit
resolution. The lower 8 bits (and therefore any
signals about 96dB below maximum level) are
lost entirely. On the other hand, there is nothing
to gain from recording a 16-bit signal at 24-bit
resolution - this would only waste precious space
on the hard disk.
It often makes sense to monitor the input signal or send it directly to the output. This can be
done at zero latency using TotalMix (see chapter 31).
An automated control of real-time monitoring can be achieved by Steinberg’s ASIO protocol
with our ASIO 2.0 drivers and all ASIO 2.0 compatible programs. When 'ASIO Direct Monitoring'
has been switched on, the input signal is routed in real-time to the output whenever a recording
is started (punch-in).